Garment with chalk dispensing pocket

ABSTRACT

A garment with a chalk dispensing pocket is disclosed. The garment includes an external pocket having a mesh panel, preferably applied on pants/leggings/shorts. The chalk dispensing pocket is dimensioned to contain a porous container/bag/ball of a gripping chalk to chalk the user&#39;s hands. When applied to pants, the chalk dispensing pocket is disposed on a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of one or more legs of the pants. The garment with chalk dispensing pocket is particularly suited for rock climbers providing a convenient unobtrusive chalking pocket that is readily accessible within arms reach and facilitates the climber&#39;s freedom of movement.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/246,557 filed Sep. 21, 2021, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to athletic chalk dispensers, and moreparticularly to individual chalk dispensers applied to an athleticgarment.

Athletes and participants inclimbing/ninja/gymnastics/weightlifting/CrossFit and similar endeavorsoften have to pause or stop exercising, training, competing to applychalk to their hands from a bucket or bag before continuing the activityin order to reduce sweat, increase friction and improve their grip. Thechalk is applied so the athlete's hands won't slip, causing either afall/drop when suspended from an apparatus/equipment/holds/bar or, whenlifting a weighted object, some slippage resulting in a loss of controlor release of the object, thusly failing the lift or dropping theweighted object potentially resulting in an injury.

Additionally, the bucket or bag of chalk can sometimes be located awayfrom the individual needing to quickly chalk. If it is not readilyaccessible, or they have to search or locate and move a certain distanceor even look/shift/lean to access the chalk, this could causeconsiderable distraction or an unfocused moment contributing to anunsuccessful/subpar performance of the activity.

Although climbing chalk bags can be strapped around the waist, they areoften bulky/heavy/bouncy and inconveniently/awkwardly located behind thewearer's lower back. When not strapped behind the lower back, a chalkbag is often tossed/thrown around a gym creating a cluttered trainingenvironment.

Community chalk buckets or pots are rather unsanitary with many handsrepeatedly reaching in.

As can be seen, there is a need for improved chalk dispenser that ispositioned on the athlete's person and readily available duringperformance of an athletic task.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a chalk dispensing athleticgarment is disclosed. The chalk dispensing athletic garment includes agarment dimensioned to be worn by a user. A chalk dispensing pocket isdisposed on the garment within reach of a user's hands, when worn. Thechalk dispensing pocket including a mesh panel having a peripheral sideedge secured to the garment defining an interior cavity between the meshpanel and an outer surface of the garment. A top opening opens to theinterior cavity. A fastener provides a closure for the top opening.

In some embodiments, the garment is a pair of pants having a waistopening and a pair of extending legs.

In some embodiments, the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to afrontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of at least one of the pair ofextending legs.

In some embodiments, the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to afrontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of each of the pair of extendinglegs.

In some embodiments, a binding is disposed about the peripheral sideedge of the mesh panel.

In some embodiments, the pair of pants is selected from the groupconsisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

In other embodiments, a quantity of a gripping chalk is contained withinthe chalk dispensing pocket. The quantity of the gripping chalk may becontained within a dispenser bag.

In other aspects of the invention, a chalk dispensing athletic pant isdisclosed. The chalk dispensing athletic pant includes a pair of pantshaving a waist region and a pair of legs extending from the waistregion. A chalk dispensing pocket is disposed on a frontal, lateral, orposterior aspect of at least one of the pair of legs within reach of auser's hands, when worn in an upright standing position. The chalkdispensing pocket has a mesh panel with a peripheral side edge securedto an outer surface of at least one of the pair of legs to define aninterior cavity between the mesh panel and the outer surface of the atleast one of the pair of legs. A top opening opens to the interiorcavity and a fastener provides a closure for the top opening.

In some embodiments, a binding is disposed about the peripheral sideedge of the mesh panel.

In some embodiments, the pair of pants is selected from the groupconsisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

In some embodiments, a quantity of a gripping chalk is contained withinthe chalk dispensing pocket. The quantity of the gripping chalk may becontained within a dispenser bag.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket,taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of an first alternate embodiment of thegarment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 6 . is a section view of the first alternate embodiment of thegarment with chalk dispensing pocket, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of an second alternate embodiment of thegarment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 8 is a section view of the second alternate embodiment of thegarment with chalk dispensing pocket, taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 is a front view of an third alternate embodiment of the garmentwith chalk dispensing pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a chalk dispensingpocket for an athletic garment. The chalk dispensing pocket for agarment is provided as an attached slim-profile, mesh pocket that isapplied to a readily accessible location on the garment. Securing aporous chalk dispensing pouch of the individual's garment eliminates thebulky, bouncing hassle.

Non-limiting embodiments of the garment with a chalk dispensing pocketare shown in the drawings of FIGS. 1-9 . In a first embodiment, thegarment is a pair of pants 10. A chalk dispensing pocket 12 is appliedto a frontal aspect of at least one leg of the pants 10. A top end ofthe chalk dispensing pocket 12 is positioned below the joining of aninseam of the pants 10. The chalk dispensing pocket 12 is positioned sothat it is accessible with a user's 26 hands or fingertips when in anupright standing position with the arms extended downwardly in a relaxedstate.

The chalk dispensing pocket 12 is formed of a mesh panel 14 that issecured around a peripheral edge to the garment 10. The mesh panel 14may also have a binding around the peripheral edge. The chalk dispensingpocket 12 may be of any desired shape, such as rectangular, rounded, orother desired shape.

The chalk dispensing pocket 12 includes a top opening and a closureflap. The closure flap may be secured between an open and a closedposition by a fastener. The fastener may include a zipper 16, as shownin FIGS. 1-4 , a cooperating hook and pile fastener 20, such as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 , and a cooperating snap 22 or button, such as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 .

An interior compartment of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 is dimensionedto contain a quantity of a gripping chalk. The quantity of grippingchalk may be contained in a dispensing bag 18.

Because the mesh chalk pockets are conveniently located within reach ofthe users hands 26 for quick access on the outside of the garment 10,which may include pants/leggings/shorts, an athlete/participant does notneed to look away from their athletic task/objective to apply chalk totheir hands. This allows the user 26 to maintain focus and smoothlycontinue their athletic task with minimal interruption.

The present invention allows the athletes/individuals training to have achalk dispensing pocket 12 conveniently located within ready reach oftheir hands. The chalk dispensing pocket 12 readily accessible and doesnot interfere with the users 26 movements. Because the athlete justneeds to tap on the mesh 14 of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 to applythe gripping chalk 18, it reduces the excessive amount of chalk thatfalls or spills out from a chalk bag or bucket when reaching in.

As will be appreciated, the mesh 14 of the chalk dispensing pocket 12may be attached firmly on the bottom and two sides with a fabric bordersewn approximately at arm's length to the front, side, or back of thepants/shorts/leggings. The opening at the top side of the mesh 14 may ormay not have a fabric border but is not sewn shut, rather it has somekind of opening, allowing the gripping chalk, such as the chalk bag 18to be inserted and then secured with the fasteners 16, 20, 22.

In the embodiment shown, the mesh 14 is measured and cut to about thesize of an average palm. The border fabric trim secures the mesh 14 onthe bottom and two sides to the outside of the garment 10, such aspants, shorts, or leggings. As will be appreciated, the garment 10 mayalternatively be a shirt, jacket, or other garment worn about the torso.The resulting opening at the top of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 maylocated within arm's length on the front, side, or back of the pants,shorts, or leggings. Preferably, for use in rock climbing, the chalkdispensing pocket 12 is located on a frontal, lateral, or posterioraspect of the user's 26 thighs so that they are readily available whensuspended from a rock structure. The mesh 14 retains the chalk bag 18firmly to the leg/hip/posterior and allows the gripping chalk to passthrough to the hands with a pat/tap/rub or slap of the palms or fingers.The fastener closures 16, 20, 22 secure the top of chalk dispensingpocket 12 and allow the chalk bag/pouch to be inserted when using andremoved when not in use or for cleaning. The closures 16, 20, 22 reducethe chance of the chalk bag 18 dislodging or falling out under moreextreme movements.

In use, the athlete or individual training, exercising, or competing,first retracts the opening at the top of the chalk dispensing pocket andinserts the quantity of gripping chalk, preferably contained in the bag18, into the chalk dispensing pocket 12. The user 26 would then securethe closure 16, 20, 22. Then, the user 26 may begin training, exercisingor competing. When in need to chalk his/her hands prior to doing anexercise or movement that requires a secure, dry grip, the user 26 cansimply tap, pat, slap, rub, touch, poke, or grab the chalk dispensingpocket 12 to obtain a desired amount of chalk on his/her hands, palms,fingers or fingertips.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chalk dispensing athletic garment, comprising:a garment worn by a user; and a chalk dispensing pocket disposed on thegarment within reach of a user's hands, when worn, the chalk dispensingpocket comprising a mesh panel having a peripheral side edge secured tothe garment defining an interior cavity between the mesh panel and anouter surface of the garment, a top opening to the interior cavity, anda fastener providing a closure for the top opening.
 2. The chalkdispensing athletic garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a pair ofpants having a waist opening and a pair of extending legs.
 3. The chalkdispensing athletic garment of claim 2, wherein the chalk dispensingpocket is attached to a frontal, a lateral, or a posterior aspect of atleast one of the pair of extending legs.
 4. The chalk dispensingathletic garment of claim 2, wherein the chalk dispensing pocket isattached to a frontal, a lateral, or a posterior aspect of each of thepair of extending legs.
 5. The chalk dispensing athletic garment ofclaim 2, further comprising: a binding disposed about the peripheralside edge of the mesh panel.
 6. The chalk dispensing athletic garment ofclaim 2, wherein the pair of pants is selected from the group consistingof long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.
 7. The chalk dispensingathletic garment of claim 2, further comprising: a quantity of agripping chalk contained within the chalk dispensing pocket.
 8. Thechalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 7, wherein the quantity ofthe gripping chalk is contained within a dispenser bag.
 9. A chalkdispensing athletic pant, comprising: a pair of pants having a waistregion and a pair of legs extending from the waist region; and a chalkdispensing pocket disposed on a frontal, a lateral, or a posterioraspect of at least one of the pair of legs within reach of a user'shands, when worn in an upright standing position, the chalk dispensingpocket having a mesh panel with a peripheral side edge secured to anouter surface of the at least one of the pair of legs defining aninterior cavity between the mesh panel and the outer surface of the atleast one of the pair of legs, a top opening to the interior cavity, anda fastener providing a closure for the top opening.
 10. The chalkdispensing athletic pant of claim 9, further comprising: a bindingdisposed about the peripheral side edge of the mesh panel.
 11. The chalkdispensing athletic pant of claim 9, wherein the pair of pants isselected from the group consisting of long leg pants, leggings, andshorts.
 12. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 9, furthercomprising: a quantity of a gripping chalk contained within the chalkdispensing pocket.
 13. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 12,wherein the quantity of the gripping chalk is contained within adispenser bag.